The disclosure relates to a CPA (representing the English term “connector position assurance” whereas a direct translation of the German is “plug connector position control” or rather “plug connector control element” or “contact position assurance”) having the features of the disclosure and also a plug connector arrangement having a CPA.
CPAs for securing the contact position of a plug housing on a mating plug housing are known from the prior art. CPAs of this type are intended to prevent a plug housing that is latched to a mating plug housing from unintentionally detaching from the mating plug housing, by way of example as a result of vibrations, temperature-dependent expansion or shrinkage, pulling on a cable that is arranged in the plug housing or other mechanical effects. By way of example, in the motor vehicle industry, in particular in the case of safety-relevant components, such as for example air bags, high demands are placed on the reliability of the plug connector arrangement.
A CPA can also provide a haptic feedback to an installer or a machine by means of a specific constructive embodiment so as to indicate whether a plug housing that is provided with the CPA is completely latched to a corresponding mating plug housing. Only after completely latching the plug housing onto the mating plug housing can the CPA then be plugged on into its end position on the plug housing.
DE 60 2005 000 248 T2 discloses a CPA with which the removal of a plug housing from a mating plug housing is impeded in the case of a plugged-in CPA. The CPA is embodied as an elongated transverse bracing member from which a middle section extends in the plugging-on direction and also two elongated actuating resilient sections that are arranged on the left-hand side and right-hand side of the middle section are used as guiding elements. The CPA is consequently similar to a three-pronged fork and extends essentially in a two-dimensional plane.